IRIS CHI was installed as the Chinese-American Golden Age Association/Frances Wu Chair for the Chinese Elderly in 2004 and currently directs the China Program. She also has a joint appointment in the USC Davis School of Gerontology. Prior to joining the USC School of Social Work, she taught at the University of Hong Kong for 17 years, in addition to chairing the postgraduate research programs and serving as the director of the Sau Po Centre on Aging.

An expert in elderly health and gerontology, Dr. Chi has participated in more than 60 studies and published more than 150 articles on such topics as long-term care, mental health chronic illness, community service, social support, dementia, Parkinson's disease and minimum data set (MDS). She has also been involved in seven cross-national collaborative research projects.

A career milestone came in 2004 when the city of Hong Kong honored Dr. Chi with the prestigious Bronze Bauhina Star for her public and community service with the city's aging population. She has also earned a Certificate of Merit for Housing Research from the Hong Kong Institute of Planners, the Outstanding Research in Gerontology Award from the Hong Kong Association of Gerontology and the Best Research of the Year Award from the Hong Kong College of General Practitioners. As a result of her extensive work and expertise, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government appointed her to the Elderly Commission, a post she held for seven years.

Dr. Chi is an honorary professor, member, consultant and advisor to more than 30 local and overseas elderly-related organizations such as the World Health Organization, Peking University and University of Victoria in British Columbia, Canada. Among the organizations funding her efforts to provide professional training for elder care, training and accreditation for standardized care need assessors are the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charitable Foundation; Social Welfare Department, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government; China National Aging Committee, People's Republic of China; and Beijing Civil Affairs Bureau, People's Republic of China.

She is also an expert reviewer and editorial board member for The Gerontologist, International Journal of Social Welfare, Journal of Social Work Practice, Evaluation and Geriatrics and Gerontology International. In addition, Dr. Chi serves on the Commission on Curriculum and Educational Innovation for the Council on Social Work Education, chairs the nomination committee for the International Association of the Schools of Social Work and was appointed an external examiner for Women's College in Beijing. Most recently, she was elected a national research mentor for the Hartford Geriatric Social Work Faculty Scholars Program and appointed to the National Program Advisory Committee for the Hartford Doctoral Fellows.

A frequent lecturer in many universities throughout Asia, Dr. Chi presently teaches aging-related courses in the USC Master of Social Work program.

While studying sociology at Chinese University of Hong Kong, Dr. Iris Chi became increasingly aware of issues surrounding ageism and inequality. Concerned that a disproportionate amount of attention and resources was being directed toward children and young people, she began to focus on problems faced by older populations, such as chronic illness, poor mental health and a lack of social support. Chi’s experiences during a field placement in a family service unit of a public welfare organization in Hong Kong bolstered her desire to work with aging groups.

While reading the file of her first client, a woman in her late 70s who had applied for housing assistance, Chi had the impression that she was frail, poor, sad and lonely. The woman lost her husband and three children during World War II, had no other close relatives, and worked as a maid her entire life. Although she had adopted a son and supported his education, he had essentially abandoned her. But once Chi met the woman, she realized her assumptions were completely wrong. While physically weak, the woman lived an independent, dignified and content life. “It made me realize how little I knew about older adults,” Chi says.

After earning her master’s degree and doctorate in social work from San Diego State University and UCLA, respectively, Chi went on to teach at the University of Hong Kong for 17 years. She enhanced her reputation as an expert on elderly health and gerontology, participating in dozens of studies and publishing hundreds of articles on mental health, dementia, elderly suicide and social support. In addition to directing the first research and training center on aging in the region, she helped transition the MSW program to a problem-based learning model and chaired one of the largest postgraduate research programs. Based in part on her recommendations, government officials and nongovernmental organizations developed elderly suicide prevention programs, resulting in lower suicide rates among aging groups in Hong Kong and China.

In 2004, Chi joined the USC School of Social Work and has continued to investigate issues that affect older populations from a mind-body-spirit perspective. She leads the China Program, an effort to encourage cultural and multidisciplinary collaboration, and views cultural exchange as critical to social work practice. “As social workers, we can’t do a good job of helping people from another culture without understanding how the other culture perceives and reacts to a social problem,” she says. “International social work allows us to learn different ways of dealing with social problems so we are not confined to our own ways of problem solving.”

As she continues her research career at USC, Chi plans to explore new topics of inquiry, including long-term care and intergenerational relationships. Having led postgraduate programs in the past, she enjoys working closely with students and often involves them in her research proposals and publications.

Awards and Distinction

Distinguished Visiting Scholar, University of Hong Kong & City University of Hong Kong (2010-2011)

Outstanding Teaching Award, Faculty of Social Sciences, The University of Hong Kong (1999-2001)

Temporary Adviser and Consultant, WHO Kobe Centre for Health Development, Japan. WHO Western Pacific Regional Office, Philippines and WHO Headquarter Ageing and Life Course Programme, Geneva (1999-2004 )

Guo, M., Chi, I. & Silverstein, M. (in press). Family as a Context: The Influence of Family Composition and Family Geographic Dispersion on Intergenerational Relations among Chinese Elderly. International Journal of Social Welfare.

Guo, M. & Chi, I. (2010). Does providing support to children enhance life satisfaction among older Chinese women? The role of perceived filial piety of children. Journal of Ethnic and Cultural Diversity in Social Work. 19(4), 317-330.

Lai, C.K. & Chi, I. (2008). The Chinese version of the social engagement scale as a quality of life measurement for older nursing home residents with dementia. Handbook of measures for the Chinese elderly. Hong Kong: Sau Po Centre on Ageing, the University of Hong Kong.

Mjelde-Mossey, L.A., Chi, I. & Lou, V.W. (2005). Assessing tradition in Chinese elders living in a changing social environment: Implications for social work practice. Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment. 11.